Vaporizing burner



2 1934- o; B. LAWRENCE 4,

Y vnoruzme BURNER Filed Sept. 7. 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

1 [(1.2 O TTLEYBLAWEENCE.

' A TTOR NE Y.

Jan. 23, 1934.

o. a. LAWRENCE VAPORIZINQ BURNER Filed. Sept. 7, 1929 3 Shoots-Shoot 2 R 0 m m N I ATTORNEY Jan. 23, 1934. o. B. LAWRENCE VAPORIZING BURNER 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Sept. 7, 1929 FIG- 5 INVENTOR.

BYOTTLEY B. LAWQENCE;

( Q ATTORNEY.

7 Patented Jan. 23, 1934 PAT NT oFFIcE VAPORIZING BURNER Ottley B. Lawrence, Gaffncy, S. 0. Application September 7, 1929. Serial No. 390,880 3 Claims. (01. 158 -91) My invention relates to vaporizing oil burners of the stack plate type.

The invention has as its principal aim the improvement in the efliciency of such burners. Expressed in simple terms, my object is to get the most heat with the least oil, and I have attained this object to the extent of obtaining from 50 to 100 per cent more heat with the same oil. Expressed from another point of view, with a burn- [0 er of a given size I am able to get the same heat as heretofore obtainable with burners of this type with from 25 to 50 per cent less fuel.

The method of this operation consists in establishing a-current of combustibles through the vaporizing channels coursing from the flame mouth of the burner backwardly through the lower channels, upwardly past the air inlet or advance ends of the channels and then inwardly through the upper channels to the body of the fire box or other chamber in which a burner is used, with a bypass of combustibles completing a circuit to the flame mouth of the lower channels; this current consisting of non-burning oil vapor in the lower channels and at the air inlet or advance ends of the lower channel, burning vapor and admixedair at the advance ends of the upper channels, burned vapor and excess air in the inner ends of the upper channels, and burning vapor and admixed air in the flame mouth portions of the upper channels and emanating from the flame mouth ends together with excess liquid fuel, and finally excess liquid fuel, coursing downwardly and into the inner or flame mouth ends of the lower channels. This current I establish by first heating the walls of the channels by burning a fuel below them with free access of air to the channels from both ends, par ticularly from the air inlet or advance ends, and thereafter progressively cutting ofi direct access so of air to the advance ends of the lower channels 'from the bottom ,upwardly, whereby the flame from the burning fuel is progressively moved in the lower channels toward the inlet or advance ends and upwardly to the advance ends of the upper channels where it burns with a portion of the entering air and pre-heats the remainder of the admitted air to oil vaporizing temperature, and whereby the flame passing through the upper channel's, heats the walls of these channels to a 56' very high vaporizing temperature, a temperature suflicient to most effectually vaporize liquid fuel introduced toward the inner ends of these channels. The while I supply a liquid fuel slightly too fast to be completely vaporized in the upper channels, whereby excess reaches the irmer or flame ends of the lower channels where it is vaporized at the inception of the'current of combustibles, and continuity of the current is assured.

The apparatus consists of a burner casing containing a stack of spaced vaporizing elements, preferably in the form of vaporizing plates substantially horizontally arranged and vertically spaced, means to supply liquid fuel to the upper elements, and a damper which closes in direction from the bottommost element up'wardly to serially cut off direct access of air to the advance ends of the spaces between the elements.

In the'accompanying drawings 1'. show that one embodiment of my invention new best known'to Figs. 1 and 2 are vertical, longitudinal sections and advanced end. elevation respectively of the burner showing the positions of parts and the coursing of the flame at the inception 01' starting; t6

Figs. 3 and 4 are similar views showing the parts and current of combustibles at inception and before complete establishment of the current.

Figs. 5 and 6 are similar views showing the parts and the current of combustibles in the established relation of continuous and high emciency operation.

The body of the burner is a casting. It comprises a substantially rectangular casing 10 open at its ends 11 and 12. The end 11 is the inlet or advance end. The end 12 is the outlet or flame mouth end. Advance end 11 is of substantially plane form walls substantially at right angles to the wall of thecasing. End 12 is concavely cut away to form the mouth of the casing extending upwardly at an angle from the bottom, thereby to better direct flames upwardly. The upper wall of the casing contains fuel admission cham-- ber 13 near the advance end 11. The chamber is provided with an inlet 14 for liquid fuel and an exit 15 in the form of a transversely extending opening in the form of a slot. The bottom wall 16 of the chamber is provided with an upwardly extending head or fuel retaining wall 17 over whichliquid fuel will trickle or drip into the body of the casing 10. The bottom 01' the casing is provided at its opposite ends respectively with low retaining walls 18 and 19, to constitute in the bottom of the casing a receptacle to receive and hold liquid fuel.

Intermediate the bottom and top walls of the casing 10 are cast extendingfrom one side wall to the other of the casing, a plurality of vaporizing plates 20, 21 and 22. These plates are substantially horizontally arranged in vertically no spaced relationsuch that they define between themselves and the upper and lower walls of the casing 10 vaporizing channels 23, 24, 25 and 26. The plates at their ends are arranged in stepped relation progressing downwardly and inwardlyboth at the advance end 11 and the flamemouth end 12 of the casing. The plates themselves are inclined slightly downwardly toward the flame mouth end of the casing. The inner end of the uppermost plate 20 projects beyond the fuel inlet 15 from chamber 13, whereby liquid fuel dropping over head 17 drops upon it. The outer ends of the plates are spaced inwardly of the advance end 11 of the casing, whereby there is provided from the lower plates to the upper plates a channel of decreasing width between the advance ends of the plates and the advance end of the casing.

Pivoted to the plane face of the advance end 11 of the casing at 27 is damper 28 which closes upwardly. This damper consists of a plate having a closing or upper .edge 29 of convex outline, preferably semi-circular. When upwardly closed maximum air is admitted at the two corners 30, 31 of the casing (see Fig. 6). Damper edge 29 is outwardly flared to admit more air in a more orderly manner and prevent catching on edges. The area of the damper is such that when in the closed position shown in Fig. 6,the entire lower portion of the advance end 11 of the burner is cut off from direct access of air.

At starting (Fig. 1) I admit liquid fuel in drops rapidly (as controlled by a needle valve of usual type with or without a sight feed as may be desired, and none of which are necessarily shown here). Fuel admitted to chamber 13 overflows the bead 1'7 and drops in cascade (it can be easilyseen from the advance end 11 of the burner) down the inner ends of the plates 20, 21, 22 'to the bottom of casing 10 where it forms a pool 32. Damper 28 is pulled all the way down, (see Fig. 2) opening the entire area of the advance end 11. The fuelis ignited by thrusting a piece of paper down any of the channels 23 to 26 until its end projects'inwardly beyond them and lighting the outer end of the paper. This may be done, preferably, before starting the flow of any oil. The flame progresses down the paper to the inner ends of the channels 23 to 26. There it ignites the incoming fuel and the flame passes to the pool 32 being formed in the bottom of the casing. The incoming fuel of the cascade and the pool both ignite. The flames play about all ends of the plates 20 to 22 and between them as well as upon the walls of the casing 10, heating the entire structure, and particularly the walls which constitute the channels 23 to 26. This is shown especially in Figs. 1 and 2.

After several minutes of such operation, for example. about three minutes, the supply of liquid fuel is considerably reduced (by half or three quarters) and the damper 28 adjusted to the position shown in Figs. 3 and 4, whereupon flames shown by the'arrows as having been generally distributed at the inception of starting as shown in Fig. 1, are now drawn outwardly to the advance end 11 of the burner, appearing as in Fig. 3. Mixed yellow and blue flame in the space 33 between the outer ends of channels 23 to 26 and the end 11 of the casing courses upwardly and through the channels to theinner walls of the burner. Under these conditions the pool of oil 32 soon diminishes, the flames almost, 1

wardly to a position approximating that shown in Figs. 5 and 6. Immediately there is established the current of combustibles and flame shown in Fig. 5. The flame progresses upwardly of the space 33 and is by this step progressed to the mouths of the upper channels 23, 24, burning at the point 34 as a very hot blue flame, coursing inwardly through channels 23 and 24 an appreciable distance and perhaps also down through channel 25, depending on the adjustment. The current of combustibles indicated by the arrows then consists of non-burning vapor in the channel 26 admixed perhaps with some air and products of combustion from the flame mouth end 12 of the burner, but in proportions constituting it a non-burning mixture, and similar mixture in the lower portion of the space 33 between the advance ends of channels 25 and 26, and the advance end 11 of the casing; burning vapor and admixed air in the region 34 at the advance ends of channels23 and 24, the air being admitted and regulated by the damper 28; excess air admitted by the damper 28 and burning vapor progressing forwardly through the main bodies of the channels 23 and 24; burning vapor produced by the contact of the liquid fuel with the hot walls of the channels as it cascades down the inner ends of those walls, burning with the excess heated air of the combustibles moving forwardly through the channels 23 and 24 and perhaps 25; a great hot blue flame flaring from the mouths of the channels 23 and 24, and finally excess liquid fuel cascading to the bottom in that small amount necessary to maintain vaporization in channel 26 and perhaps also in channel 25. The vapor of this admixed with the air and products of combustion from the flame mouth 12 repeat the cycle as they ascend the space 33.

I do not know all the reasons for the high efficiency which my invention makes possible in this type of burner. I am not sure that all of the reactions recited take place in precisely the relation stated, but I am sure that the combustibles course as set forth .andare constituted as set forth and that current is established by the use of the apparatus, and it is used in the manner I have described. I believe that these effects are due to the draft action of the existing flame from the mouth 12, and the draft action of the flames which are progressed upwardly from the bottom of the casing 10 through-the space 33 to its upper portion 34. The main flame from the flame mouth 12 and the flame mouth ends of the channel 23 to 26 constitutes a draft so strong that flow in the course outlined by the arrows and which has been mapped by me from actual observation, as shown in Fig. 5, becomes the only possible course when the damper is adjusted to its closed position, as shown in Fig. 6. Insuflicient air due to the relative closure of the furnace in which the burner is placed and the general prevalence of products of combustion in the flame mouth 12 preclude burning in channel 26 and perhaps in channel 25 when the damper is closed, and enable me to progressively shift the flame backwardly through the channel 26 and also of the space 25 with the progress upwardly of the i damper. There is probably a draft effect incident to the upward rise of the space 33 and the upward inclination as respects the advanced end 11 of the casing of the plates 20. 31 and 23 which constitute the channel walls. Ihere is probably also an entraining action of the air which enters 7 through the space 34 under the influence oi the natural draft of the device. But the fact is, as I have stated, that the current of combustibles and in due course the flames are progressed backwardly through channel 26 and perhaps channel 25 upwardly through the space 33, and thence forwardly through channels 23 and 24 to the flame month end in high draft. I believe the initial heating by the pool of Fig. 1 to heat mainly the end walls 01' the channels 23 to 26 and exposed walls of the casing 10; the advanced flame of Fig. 3 to heat both their end walls of the channels 23 to 26, and the inner walls, particularly the inner walls of the upper channels, and to a considerably higher temperature than at the start; and the pure blue flame which burnsvin the region 34 to heat the walls of the-upper channels 23, 24 to yet higher degrees, and at the same time, super-heat all excess air which may be admixed in this region, whereby the greater part oi.

the incoming liquid fuel is promptly and fully vaporized and admixed and burnt. It would seem too, that the admission of the greater quantities oi air in opposite corners 30 and 31 provides not only a more general distribution of the blue flame burning in the region 34. but also the more thorough admixture with the uprising vapor from space 33, particularlysince the major volume of that vapor rises throughthe central portion of the space 33, and finally gives a-more thorough admixture and more uniform distribution of the mixture in the expanse oi the channels 23 and 24.

go results of high emciency I have above set to In the annexed claims each and all modifications or my invention which do not depart from this generic spirit are to be comprehended.

What I claim is:

1. A vaporizing oil burner comprising a casing containing vaporizing elements defining a vertically arranged series oivaporizing channels, means to supply liquid fuel to the upper channels,

anda damper for one end of the channels which closes from the lowermost channel upwardly to serially cut-oil! channels from direct access of air.

2. A vaporizing oil burner comprising a casing having air inlet and flame outlet openings therein and containing a stack of substantially horizontally arranged vertically spaced plates, means to admit liquid fuel to the upper 01 said plates, and a damper which closes from the bottommost maximum air is admitted at the two upper corners oi the burner.

- O'l'l'LliiY B. LAWRENCE. 

